Natural Disasters and Major Challenges towards Achieving Food Security in the Sahel: The Experience of CILSS

Natural hazards and environmental disasters are major challenges that require a policy response from all African policy-makers that are responsible for the survival and future of their populations. This is particularly due to the extreme poverty which often forces their populations to overuse natural resources and causes an ecological imbalance. Hydro-meteorological hazards increasingly produce significant adverse effects as a result of human activities that increase the vulnerability of the ecosystem. In addition to these worrying developments, water-related natural hazards are projected to increase in intensity and frequency due to climate change and environmental pollution. Thus, activities to advance food security and sustainable development through international strategies and other poverty reduction instruments must take natural disasters and their impact into account in the medium and long run. Food security and sustainable development are closely linked to vulnerability due to climate change and natural disasters.